Improvement in distilling- alcoholic spirits and liquors



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NPETERS. PMoTmuTl-IOBRAPHEA. WASHINGTON. D, C.

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Letters Patent No. 93,523, dated .August` 10, 1869; antedatd Februar/ry 1Q, 1.869. i

The Schedule referred to in these LettersrPatent-and making part of the same.

To all whom it may conce/rn:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN DENNIS, Jr, of

' \Vashiugton,. in the District of Columbia, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in the Process of, and Apparatus fir, Distilling Alcohol and other Liquors; andI do hereby declare v the followingdescription or specification, and accompaf nying drawings, are sufiicient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to whichA it most nearly appertains, to make and use my said invention or discovery and improvements, without further invention or experiment.

0n learning that alcoholic liquors were greatly improved` by exposure to atmospheric air, either by blowing the'air into the-liquor, or letting the liquor or alcohol run or trickle very slowly down sonic fibrous or other substance, through the air, to deprive it of its offensive or. bad qualities or properties, and give it the flavor, quality, or property of age, or of old liquor, it occurred to nre. that this might be effected far more easily, more perfectly, and to greaterA advantage, by applying the air to the alcoholic vapor, while in a gaseous 0r aeriforrn state, and mining the air thoroughly with the alcoholic vapor in the process of distillation,- before it was condensed, either in the still or in the pipe leading from the still tothe' worm or condenser, or in theworm or condenser, or in each or all of these together, as 4by mixngand mingling the air with the alcoholic vapor', before it was condensed, the air could acton it more eectually and perfectlythan it could possibly do after it condensed into a liquid form.

The nature or essence of my invention, discovery, and improvement in the process of, and apparatus for,

distilling alcohol, rum, gin, brandy, whiskey, and otheralcoholic liquors and cordials from grain, and other materials or substances, andin rectifying alcoholic liquors, consists in intrmlucing atmospheric air or some suitable gas into the alcoholic vapor, While it is in an aeriform or gaseous state, and` mixing and mingling the air or gas thoroughly with the alcoholic vapor, so that they may act fully and perfectly upon the vapor, before it is condensed, to neutralize the fuseloil, or other deteriorating oils or gases, and otherwise improve the product of distillation; Vand 'in inserting a pipe into the gooseneck of the still,or into the pipe that connects the still or retort with the worm or con denser, to conduct air or gas into the vapor or gaseous products of distillation, fronran air-pump, bellows, or other airpropelling device; and so arranging the mouth of the pipe that conducts the air'into the gooseneck or pipe, from the still'or retort .to the worm or condenser, that the air blown in shall propel, or tend to propel, the vapor forward in the gooseneck or pipe toward and through thinJ worm or condensing-appara tus; and in introducing the air orfgas into the vapor distilled at such a temperature as will render it the most available, in acting on the vapor from the still or retort, to produce the greatest benefit to the 'products of distillation; and in utilizing theair orgas introrluced to improve the product of distillation, by using it to propel the vapor' or products of distillation forward in the worm or condenser; and, in combination with the introduction .of air or gas intothe'alcol holic vapor or products of distillation, the application `and use of an air-pump, fan,or otherwpneumatic device, to draw the vapor from the retort through the worin or condenser, or to draw the vapor from the retort, and force it into or through the worm or condenser; I

also, in arranging an 'ice-box at theendof the condenser, to condense -what may remain in the vapor or air ilowing from the condenser, that may be condensed by the temperature of the ice-box. l v

To enable others skilled in the art of distilling, to make and `use my invention or discovery, I will pro'- ceed to describe the best apparatusI have devised for putting my new process in practice, referring tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of vthis specilication, in which-f, Y Y v f v Figure 1 is a plan or top view of the gooseneck or pipe, leading from the still or retort and the condenser.

Figure 2 is a vertical section .through the centre of In these drawings- A A are the sides of the condensing-vat, which may be made of wood, or other suitable materials.

B B are the outside'wooden ends, and G the bottoni.

I4 then .take-plate or sheet-metal, such as'issuitable for Vthe purpose, which is` well known to distillers, and corrugate it, as shown in section, fig. 2, and form the bottom D and ends E E, and connect them to the sides-A A, air andSteam-tight.

Outside of the bottom D and ends E, AI make a second bottom, F, and ends G G, of sheet-metal, and arranget a proper distance from the bottom D, fpr the vapor or .products of distillation to pass, and be condensed on the bottom D, and run off on to the bottom F, and collect in the several grooves H H H in the bottom F, and runout, through the cocks I I I, into proper receptacles arranged to receive it.

vThe cocks I I are arranged at the ends of the grooves H H, in the bottom F, and 'provided with a curve downward, as shown in iig. 3, te form a trap, and prevent the escape of the vapor' through the cocks.

The bottom F and ends G Gr are fastened to the sides A A, so as to be water and steam-tight, and the tops of the ends'E and G, at J, must be made tight also.

The pipe K passes through the end B and into the Iend E, where it is made tight, and the pipe L is inserted in the pipe K, as shown in fig. 2.

.lhe pipe L is connectedwith the still or retort, to convey the products of distillation into the pipe K,

through which it passes in between the 'ends E and G l of the condenser, and theucealong between the bot, toms D and F, where it is condensed by the cold water, supplied through the pipe M, to the compartments N N1 N2A of the condenser-vat, which is provided withpartitions 1313.', whichiruay'fhe-made hollow, or'ot' some material that will conduct..heat 'very slowly, soy

that the water in the compartment N, which receives the water first, will always be at the lowest temperature, and condense the products of distillation last;-

and when the water is slightly heated, it passes linderthe partition I, into the compartment N, where it is Vbut it may be made to run over them, or through holes made in the partitions for that purpose.

If the vapor issues from the pipe L with suiicie'nt force, it will draw the atmosphere in through the pipe K, and carry it along into the condenser with it; but it will be best to apply a pump, or some blowing-apv paratus, to blow the air into the pipe K, and force it by the end of the pipe L, so as to produce a partial vacuum in the pipe L, and suck or draw the vapor' from the still, and pass or blow it along under the condenser, where the vapor will be condensed, and the air pass on and out under the ice-box R, arranged at the end of thc condenser, to condense anything that remains in .the vapor or air, after it passes the watercondenser.

The bottom of the ice-box R is inclined, as shown in the drawings, so that all that is condensed on it runs oi into the inclined box or trough S, underit, and out at the faucet T, into a proper receptacle arranged to receive it.

The ice in the box may be protected by a double case of boards at the sides and top, so as to thaw but little, except on the bottom,which is made of sheetmetal, and wilLbe but little above freezing, so as to condense all that will condense at that temperature.

There is a faucet at V, for emptying the water in the vat, and one at W', to draw the water from the ice-box, and it may be some advantage to run the water from the ice-box'into the vat of the condenser;

The corrugations of the condenser have a tendency to make the vapor revolve, and bring it all fairly in contact with the condensing-surlce.

It' it is preferred that way, the pipe K may be attached to the retort or still, and the air forced in through the pipe L, and the diameter of K reduced around the end of the pipe L, so that the air issuing tiom L will tend to produce a vacuum in K, and in the still 01 retort to which it is connected, so as to work the still at a low temperature, lower than it could be worked under atmospheric pressine.

I contemplate that my discovery and improvements in distilling may be used in redistilling, rectifying, or otherwise preparing'distilled and other liquors.

Having described my discovery or invention,

What I claim as my invention and improvementin distilling and rectifying alcohol and alcoholic liquors, as rum, Tin, brandy, whiskey, &c., from grain, or other substances or materials, is

1. Injecting and mixing or mingling atmospheric air or gas with the alcoholic vapor, while it is in an aeriform or gaseous state, and before it is condensed, for the purpose of neutralizing or destroying the fusel-oil and other deleterious oils and gases, and giving the liquor so distilled the quality technically termed age by liquor-dealers.

,2. Inserting a pipe into the gooseneck of the still, or into the pipe that connects the still or retort with the worm or condenser, to'condut air or gas into the vapor or gaseous products of distillation, by the suction ofthe vapor from the still, or to convey the air from an air-pump, bellows, or other air-propelling device, into the vapor distilled, before it is condensed.

3. Also, arranging the mouth of the pipe that conducts the air into the gooseneck or pipe, from the still or retort to the worm or condenser, so that the blast of air blown in shall propel the vapor forward in the gooseneck or pipe, toward and through the worm 0r condenser, substantially as described.

4. Introducing the air or gas into the vapor, at such a temperature asjwill render it the'4 most available in acting onpthe vapor from the retort, to produce the greatest benefit to the product of distillation.

5'. Also, utilizing the air or gas blown in, or introduced into the vapor, to improve the product of distillation, by using it to propel the vapor o1 products ot' distillation forward into and through the worm, or through the wornror condenser, substantially as described.

(i. In combination with the introduction of air or gas into the alcoholic vapor or products of' distillation, the application and use of an air-pump, fan, or other, pneumatic device, to draw the vapor from the retort, and force it into or through vthc worm or condenser.

7. An'anging an ice-box at the end of the con-- denser, to condense whatever may remain iu the vapor or air flowing from the water-condenser that is capable of being condensed at the temperature of the icebo.\.

JONATHAN DENNIS, JR.

Witnesses:

"WAL DENNIS,

WM. H. DnNxrs. 

